Just need to talk to my friends (175)

Lorita

Ron ,I'm sure the heat is bad down there. The humidity is bad here with all the ponds and the huge lake. Stay in all you can. That's what I try to do.

I do miss Jack. We had gotten in the habit of calling every day just to say hi and ask if the other was all right. But, as you and Toni said he wanted to be with Patsy just as all of us would like.

I had a busy morning. Fixed a full breakfast which I seldom do - hash browns, scrambled eggs, sliced tomatoes and cantalope. While the hashbrowns cooked mixed up a carrot cake mix with pumpkin and chocolate chips for muffins. When I took them out had on a good oven glove but still burned my hand. But, it's okay kept it in ice water a while. 

Haven't done diddly squat this afternoon.  Jack's daughter just called. The ALF won't keep furniture and told her to make arrangements to clear it out. I'm going to call and see what's going on. 

Soaking my foot in Epsom salts water.  Everyone except me is asleep and I think I took a short nap earlier.

Hope all of you are staying in this afternoon.

Mint

Lorita avocado oil has no flavor.  I use it for everything.  The only way bread is different is ingredients I used.  Tastes just like, light bread which I have not had in a very long time.

Sounds like you had a  good breakfast.  I’m always burning myself on stove.  Have a couple right now.

ronald71111

Just took trash to the street for pickup in the morning and sweating after a five minute walk. Checked local weather when I went back inside and at 5pm its 102 with heat index of 111.

Ron

BethL

Sara, I do use avocado oil also. I also use olive oil. When we were in Greece, we were told that Greek woman "eat" a teaspoon of olive oil every day and that is why they are so beautiful!

Many people cook with coconut oil. I never have really cooked with it but it has a nice flavor just to eat a little bit of it. All these oils are supposed to be healthy whereas many of the other oils are not. 

Praying regarding the heat and drought - it will be in the 90s here all week and it is dry. We have had 1.8" of rain the month of July but need more (with this heat). I water my veggies and potted plants daily or every other day. The perennials I water rarely but have done it twice this summer. 

We have company that will be spending the weekend with us. Looking forward to that. They are cousins from Kansas and really fun people.

Enjoy your evening.    Beth

Lorita

Beth, we haven't had any rain at all since the first of June. Before that we had lots, then just turned off.  June was very hot.  I heard it's supposed to be over 105 every day this week -108 tomorrow 

Ron, stay inside if you can.  Is it really dry there?

At least the days are getting shorter but it doesn't cool off here at night - still in mid 8os.  I remember it was hot like this in 1984. I went out to check the barn and, like Ron, was hot when I got in. Will fill the water tank in the morning.

Sleep well tonight.

Lorita

Iris, the full moon/super moon was on July 15.  It was beautiful for two or more nights. Probably not as pretty in cities where there's so many bright lights.  Not sure if the full moon in August will be a super'moon.

JudeV

Hello everybody

Very hot here too.   Don’t work outside until evening and is still hot but better.  My garden is doing great.  So far, have picked green beans and need to pick again.   No red tomatoes yet, but there are many out there.  I picked 2 green ones and I am going to fry green tomatoes.  Getting squash and zucchini too. I have patty pan squash just about ready.  Love sautéed veggies.  

Sayra , would you please give me your recipe for light bread .. Thank you.  I also, use grape seed oil.  Very good with veggies.  I put sesame seed oil in my salads. My radishes were good but hot. I think the hot weather made them hot.  Had to put some tulle over my kohlrabi.  There is a rabbit helping himself.   I put out a live trap to catch him and so far have caught 3 opossums and 1 raccoon.   Relocated each one of them in a woods far out away from my garden!!!

I have 5 baby chickens again.  They will lay eggs in about 3 months.  Rumor has it that eggs will be $12.00 a dozen this fall.   I love messing with chickens.  That is the farm girl in me. Our 4-H fair is on this week.  Plan on checking it out.  Use to show steers, pigs, and sheep.

My grandson become a Police Officer, last week.  So proud of him.  God be with him.

Need to go out and shut water off.  Stuck a hose down an mole hole.  Hope they go away

Take care.    Judy

Mint

Judy nice to hear from you.

Hope to buy green beans at farmers market this week.  I’m starting to get fresh peppers, corbaci and jalapeño (mild type). 

Beth I use olive oil too.  Hope you are blessed with some rain.  Know that gets tiring, watering every day.  I have got caught up a little since it has been raining.  Got my garage and basement swept.

Bread recipe

11/4C buttermilk(110-115F)    2T oil or butter softened      1.5t salt    2T honey or sugar

4C bread flour                           2t yeast

I use bread machine to make my dough.  I combined two different recipes, did have to add several tablespoons of warm water.  Would still start with this amount of liquid as you can always add but can’t take it back out lol.  Remove dough, shape and place in pan.  Let rise ~30 minutes.

375 degrees x 30 minutes

Take care everyone

dayn2nite2

Lorita, sorry to hear about Jack, but yes, he wanted to go.  I think it's fortunate you got him into the facility because otherwise it would be him dying alone in that house and maybe not being found for a day or two.  This way we know he was cared for properly and was eating when he wanted to eat.

Nothing big happening here.  It's 72 and breezy this morning, will be in the low 90s later.

Lorita

Morning,

Already hot-82 but it's just the heat buildup so never really cool. Heard a horn honking somewhere so someone's calling their girls.  Kept hearing a loud bumping noise so went out to check barn. No one in there yet- still grazing or standing in pond. when I walked into the hallway I did feel a nice breeze. I saw a little snake about 5-6" long really beating it down the path to get out of the way.

Good to see your post, Judy.  I always thought white radishes were hot-- icicle I think.  Have you ever raised French Breakfast or Easter Egg radishes - very pretty, all colors.  We never raised kohlrabi.  Darwin came over a couple of days ago and brought some tomatoes really good.  He says they've stopped setting fruit- don't blame them.

I was going to make pancakes this morning to freeze but not sure will see-. So handy just to take out a couple and not have to make them.

I've stopped watching much weather- just makes me hotter. I remember that daddy always wore long sleeved shirts (Carol said her daddy did too).  He'd come in from the fields and drink hot coffee.  Said it made him cooler.

Good luck with your baby chicks, Judy.  If eggs get that expensive guess it's good that I don't eat many. We always had chickens when I was growing up and sold eggs. Charles and I bought 150 day old chcks, half roosters and half hens. We lost one .Gidget, our poodle was looking at them and knocked a brick over on one. We had them under a brooder and had bricks around the edges to keep them in.  The hens began to lay exactly on the day they were supposed to.  We worked at the VA Hospital and sold eggs there,-'50 cents a dozen and they were extra large and jumbo. Had the roosters dressed to freeze. We cooked one and Charles took one bite and that was it.  Mother and daddy had chicken for a long time.  I can remember sitting on the living room floor at night washing eggs to sell the next day.  Have any of you ever seen or  felt a soft-shelled egg? Really weird. Occasionally I would squeeze the egg too hard and it would break in my hand.  They got mites once and we had to catch each one and dust it to get rid of them. Lots of fun and work.

So sorry, didn't mean to lapse into chicken memories.  I think we raised almost everything and tried everything during our married life.

Got my new electric hot pot yesterday so hot tea this morning!  Socks come today!

Sara, how is this bread different?  Finer texture?  My bread machine only holds up to 3 cups of flour and that's for dough.  Mine is probably 40 years old aad I keep thinking it will quit but not yet.  Not sure I can stop it in mid cycle and it will continue.

Will stop for now and finish my juice.  Talked with Jack's daughter a few times yesterday. She's  doing all right and is busy getting arrangements made. The ALF won't keep his belongings for others who might need them so will have to find a place to donate them to if they'll pick them up. He's happy now to be with Patsy. That's what he wanted.

Back later.

Lorita

Hi,

Max. Sammy and I laid down on the divan and went to skeep.  Max is one of the two older cats and lays on my arm.  Woke up and was hungry so tried some of the macaroni and V8.  Has sort of a sharp taste like V8 does so I think I might add a little sugar on it next time and see what that does.  I sometimes add a little sugar to soup that has tomatoes in it.

I didn't watch the weather but know it's hot.  Don't see anything moving at all. Everyone is sound asleep.  The allergy shots have worked wonders for Stormy and Sheena.  No scratching just like a switch was turned.  So thankful Mike is okay with coming over to give the shots so I don't have to take them in.  

Zetta, are you still busy helping those people move?  Miss your posts.

Day, watched two hours of Denim & Co. This morning.  lots if pretty clothes.  Have you tried those side pocket panrs with the pork chop pockets?  I ordered a pair years ago ago but never wore them.  Must not have fit.  Found them them the other day and believe I'll like them.  They have sold millions of them.  One woman said she had 100 pairs.

Haven't heard from Jackie today so guess things are working out.

Stay cool. Ron, don't go to the mailbox until almost dark might be cooler.

Iris L.

Lorita wrote:

 I saw a little snake about 5-6" long really beating it down the path to get out of the way.

 If that was a "little" snake, I don't want to see a big one! 

I'm glad you got to see the super moon, Lorita.  I usually can see the full moon, but I know its location in the sky does change around.

Judy, I paid $4.99 for a dozen free range eggs--that was a sale price.  I don't mind paying extra for better treated hens.

Iris 

Lorita

Iris, the snake wss 5-6 inches long - hit the wrong key!

Just got back from mailbox. FedEx delivered some things and one was dog food so didn't want it sitting in sun.  When I got back I was hot and my skin was hot!  Only gone about 15 minutes.

There's a little calf standing at the edge of the water on the other side of the pond. Three cows came out and went in the water but he didn't move.  Called Mike and he said if he stands might get a little air and coolness from water. If someone got close he might run and would overheat for sure. Maybe the girls will come out of the barn soon and swim across to where he is. I just wanted him to know. For some reason he didn't go to the barn with the others.  Another worry. It is awful out there - don't even want to know the tempersture.

Stay inside!

ladyzetta

Hello All,

Lorita.    Iam sorry to hear about Jack, but he is happy now that he is with Patsy. You saw that he was taken care of and not left to die alone. You were a very special person to Jack. I hope your toe is getting better, now that you're staying in more due to the heat hopefully your able to stay off your foot and rest it. 

Thanks for asking about me, I have been pretty busy catching up with things around my house. The people I pet sit for have completed their move, for rest of this month and part of August, they will be going back and forth between here and Idaho to finish up prescheduled appointments. That will give me a few more visits with my little dog buddy, before they are really gone. Then I will try to get my life back to normal, if I can remember what normal is. 

It sounds like all of you Gardners are busy with their gardens. I am sure you really enjoy the things that you grow. And what a wonderful, peaceful, relaxing way to pass time. I have been trying to mow my front yard, but it's been too hot. Hopefully I can finish it up tomorrow. 

I would love to hang my hummingbird feeders, do any of you know how to keep the bees away from them. I am allergic to bees, so I need to not be attracting them. 

Good night to all, Hugs Zetta 

Iris L.

Lorita, my mistake, I now see that you did type inches (").  I'm glad it was 5" and not 5'!  When I first moved to CA almost 46 years ago, my apartment was in a developing area and I saw a snake about two feet long.  I yelled and a man came out and killed it.  I'm sorry he had to kill it but we couldn't take a chance that it would get into someone's apt or car.  I freak out if a bee or a spider gets into my car--ugh!

My neighbor keeps trying to get me to go outside.  I go out enough.  I want to stay home!

Iris

Mint

Good morning

71F, 22 C.

Lorita wish it would cool a bit and give you a break.  It is staying in the 80s here for the most part.  We have had very few hot nights.

Discovered one tomato starting to look a little orange.  Quite a few littlE egg plants setting on.  Guess I’m being a good little pollinator.  Told mom if I don’t like them will just consider it a flower and treat it as such.

Got to go get routine lab work this morning.  Where I have to go does not open til 7.  Where I work opens at 6.  Wish I could go there and get on with my day.

Take care everyone

Lorita

Morning,

We have some clouds this morning and south wind.  It's 88 already and to be  104 today. If was 108 yesterday. They even had a little shower or two around Tulsa.  I've already watered things and topped off the water tank.  Girls are still out graxing.  Saw one baby lay down  away from others so drove over, got him up and with the others.  There were four or five laying together. I'm going to watch when they come to the barn to make sure one baby doesn't stay out today.

Zetta, I know you'll miss your little buddy when he's gone. We really get attached to them quickly. Be careful out there mowing. Heat gets to you before you realize it.  I'll be so glad when this heat dome moves away and we get rain.  Saw again on the news this morning that ranchers are beginning to sell their cattle and there will be another shortage of hay.  Lots of our counties are. Under burn bans already.

Iris, the snakes that were in the house a couple of years ago were big.  I used a grab it to get hold of them and get them out.  I got one out and thought that was all. Walked by the bathroom a few minutes later and there was another bigger one.  He was so long and fat it broke the grab it but I managed to get him outside and over the fence.  I think I shot the first one. Last summer I found two smaller ones.  Well, I didn't, the cats did, again in the bathroom.  Even after all that time when they go in the bathroom they creep around looking under the chair and dresser and in the corners.  If I touch one or say "boo" they jump. 

My toe isn't bothering me this morning so it's improving.

Girls are coming up so I'll stop and watch.

Jo C.

Recipes:

 This one for Sayra; it is for recipe for Stuffed Eggplant; it is by the chef for Princess Diana and was a favorite dish:

 

https://www.yahoo.com/news/made-princess-dianas-favorite-stuffed-110000208.html

 Oven Roasted Zucchini Coins:  Slice about four to five medium zucchini and place on baking sheet pan.   Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Toss squash with about two tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil; season with salt and pepper, roast in oven for about eight to ten minutes, stir, then roast for another eight to ten minutes until fork tender and slightly charred. NOTE:  Can include slices of red pepper or sliced onion for more flavor. Something new from online that sounded interesting to me - Cheaters Pastry Cream: This genius method for quick and easy pastry cream comes from cookbook author Vallery Lomas, the winner of The Great American Baking Show. Lomas’s recipe calls for just four ingredients: cream cheese, heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. There’s no hand-whisking or finicky tempering involved, and the ingredients don’t even have to come to room temperature. Use this no-cook pastry cream to fill a seasonal fruit tart, cream puffs, or Boston cream pie. Layer it into this towering Crepe Cake, or simply serve it with fresh fruit for dipping! Ingredients One 8 oz. package (226g) full-fat cream cheese, cold ¾ cup (180ml) heavy cream ½ cup (60g) confectioners' sugar 1 tsp. vanilla extract Place all ingredients in a large bowl. Use an electric mixer to beat until very stiff peaks form and the filling smooths out, about 2 minutes. Store covered in the refrigerator until well chilled. The pastry cream can be refrigerated up to 3 days.

jfkoc

Politics?  Just saw Mike Pence arriving at the White House. He was relaxed and smiling. Nice to see. 

Heat? Yikes. We really must pull together as a world.

Gas? Yea, prices going down.

Inflation? It comes and goes. I think, maybe incorrectly, that in part it is a result of supply/demand and is really messed up by the pandemic.

Shopping? Yes some items missing, some are more expensive but I still will not go to Walmart. I blame a lot of our economic problems on Sam Walton...but that soapbox discussion  can wait for a rainy day which it looks like is never going to happen,

Rain? I have a tree that is wilting. Do I drip water on it?

Jack? Maybe the minister can help with giving the furnishings away.

Covid?  Deear friend is moving from ICU and her husband sounds even better today. 

Cooking? Nothing to add...none done here. I have a protein shake for breakfast, something for lunch (currently a slice of meatloaf) with a little fruit. Usually no dinner. Winda did bring some banana bread from her church fund raiser to that has been a treat.

Caladiums? Two bare areas. The first is the result of running out of bulbs the second is because the sprinkler head is wonky. Seems it is time to put in a new control box. Probably past time. Mark promises that the new one will be less complicated. Yea.

That's all folks!!!

Lorita

Forty days since we've had .1" of rain, eight days in a row with temps over 100 which will continue another week st least and  ozone alerts.  Not good news.  This morning was pretty good until about 9.  I spent quite a while out with the girls making sure all the babies got into the barn.  Nice sitting in the Gator among them with the wind blowing.  Six or seven little ones went into the lot and to the water tank at one time to dtink.  The tank is almost as high as they are tall so it has to have a lot of water in it for them to drink.  It won't be long before they come out and go to stand in the water.  It's still raining about 70 mikes south of us but not one drop here and no wind now.

Toad came and got the bulldozers - don't know where he went.  I know yesterday he wss cleaning out and deepening a pond.  He must be feeling much better.

Haven't  heard from Jackie yesterday or today. Hope things are going all right.

You're right, Judith, the whole world has to work together but there are those who don't  believe in climate change. Bet their home is aur conditioned. One Senator has said he won't support anything to help.  How can one person do that?

I'm not watering trees. The small empress trees are wilted but can't water everything. I water roses, dwarf crepe myrtles and caladiums and the vinca in the bathtub.Judith, if you can put a hose down by that tree and let it drip for hours it will help.  Carol is doing that with a big oak in her yard.

We only have one small grocery store-'where I shop and WM so not much choice here.  I order from WM and some from Amazon but mist if their things are mote expensive.  Did I mention the cats knocked my handheld misting fan off and broke it.  The next day my electric hot pot quit beating and two days later the toaster gave up the ghost. Fan has been replaced and the hot pot. Toaster is supposed to come today. Things come in threes.

Better stop. Yesterday I called the wife of a cousin who recently passed away.Didn't get her but left a message that I would call today but forgot until just now.  Her name also is Patsy and she"s 90 or 91.

Stay inside. Weather said a third of our Country is under heat alerts.

Mint

High 80s here today, normal temperature for this time of year.  Very windy though.  Giving possibility of bad storms tonight.

JoC that looks good but way to much work for me.  I like things simple lol.  

Glad Toad and Judith’s friend are feeling better.  

Gas here in my end of town has almost, no quite went down a dollar.  Up to 60 cents off gallon with my Kroger card, have you use by end of July.  Going to let my tank get down a ways then fill it up.

Take care and good night

Iris L.

My cat Simon was a catcher of creatures (birds and mice), but he is old now and can't run fast.  Although he did catch a grasshopper the other day.  I have to give him medication twice a day now.  He doesn't like that!

 Iris

jfkoc

Simon....great name for a cat. It tickles me...lol